Door closing and checking mechanism



Dec. 25, 1923. I l B. S, BERNHARD DOOR. CLOSING AND CHEGKING MEGHANISM S.) sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 24 1922 Decyz5, 1923. M7337? B. S. BERNHARD DOOR CLOSING AND CHECKING MECHANISM Filed July 24 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NENM 4 Dec. 25, 1923.- 1,478,377

B. S. BERNHARD DOOR CLOSING'AND CHECKINGMECHANISM Filed Julsr 24 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented ec. Z5, E92.

BENJAMIN S. BERNHARD, F BOSTGN, SSAGHUSETTS.

DOOR CLOSING AND CHECKNG MECHANISM.

Application led July 24, i922. Serial No. 576,927.

To all ywhom it may concern."

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN S. BERN- HARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Door Closing and Checking Mechanism. of which the following is a specification.

'One object of my invention is to provide I0 simple but elicient mechanism for preventing undesired closing of a door or the like, as, for example, closing by the wind.

Another object is to provide guiding means for a flexible member which may be used for desired closing of the door.

Other objects will be pointed out below.

A feature of my invention is the provision or' means, separate from the closing means, for preventing undesired closing which is likely to result in noise, and in breaking of glass, if the door carries glass and in the preferred form a flexible member is used to connect the door and support and the moving parts of the device are preferably invisible when the door is closed.

Other features will be pointed out below.

In the jdrawings Figure 1 is a plan, partly in section, of a device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a plan, partly in section, but showing the door closed.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure l; y

Figure 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Figure 5; l

Figure 7 is an elevation, partly in section,

40 showing the door closed; l

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the anchorage;

Figure 9 is a plan showing the door partly closed;v Figure l0 is a detailshowing a modified form of projecting member, described. be-

low; and

:Figure 11 is an end elevation of the parts mounted in the door and looking from the lett in Figure 2.

In the drawings I show a right-handed hinged door but my invention is applicable to doors or the like which have left-handed mountings or other mountings than hinged.

The door frame A is recessed to receive an anchoring member A, the outer portion of which is iush with the frame and is held by screws a, and a and has an opening a2 leading to recess a3 suitably formed :tor universal swinging connection with member a4 which has connection with flexible member A2 which is preferably a metal strap but might be of any suitable shape or material, the preferred connection being made by passing the end of member A2 through opening a in member at and then attaching ahold- 'ing element such as rivet a seated in recess a7.

Member a4 is mounted to rotate and is preferably a ball and plate A3 is held to member A by screws A1 so that said plate and member A form a socket which substantially prevents lateral movement of member a, that is, prevents all movement of member a4 except movement of rotation,

one purpose being to protect the member a* from foreign matter and another purpose bein to improve the cooperative action of mem er a4 and member A2 and I preferably solder rivet a in recess a".

, Embedded in the door B is a cylindrical casing B having a plate portion b, the outer portion of which is flush with the edge of the door, said plate portion being held in position by screws b', and having a per-foration b2 to permit passage of member A2. Bushing b3 carries thimble b4 which furnishes one abutment for spring B2 and said thimble, and consequently the spring may be adjusted by screw 65. The other abutment .of the spring is the piston BH provided' with rack B4 engaging pinion B's on shaft B6, to which is pinned flanged drum B", around which is wound the end of member A2, said end being connected to said drum at B8. rlhe piston is provided with a strengthening web b9 and with ball valves of a well-known type and conduit B9 leads from one end of the casing nearly to the other end, said conduit being controlled by valve B10, vthe head of which is in threaded engagement with a threaded Vrecess in the casing.

The casing B has a boss t having a central opening large enough to permit passage therethrough of bearing member b which may be then threaded into place, afterwhich the shaft B6 with its pinion is put in place through said opening and then bearing member 118 is put in place, after which the hub al of gear D is inserted in the bore of drum B7 and then said hub and drum are pinned to shaft BG.

rll`he casing is preferably completely filled with suitable fluid and as lthe door is moved from its closed position the member a* swings and the flexible member A is un wound, rotating the drum and consequently the pinion and moves the piston to the left as in Figure Ll, compressing the spring and permitting most of the fluid to flow past the balls of the ball valves and some through conduit B9. When the door is released the spring acts to return the piston to the original position and thereupon the fluid passes through conduit B but can not return past the balls and the drum actuated by the rack and pinion winds up member A2 and thereby closes the door, the checking action being caused by the Huid passing through conduit B and controlled by valve B10 and when the door is closed as shown in Figure 6 there will be absolutely no portion of the device visible from either side of the door.

ln installing my device; in case, for example, casing B is to be mounted in the door, l draw strap A2 out and hold it in any suitable Way. The casing is then inserted in the door and held in place by screws b and the anchorage A is inserted in the frame and held by screws a and a.

As a convenient Way ofputting strap A2 in place l provide slot b1 in plate b through whici member A2 may be lowered into openin 2.

n order to prevent undesired closing of the door as, for example b a strong Wind l provide a ,rigid rod E aving threaded connection with rack E and preferably ll provide a socket' e in rod E to receive coiled spring e to act as a lock for holding members E and E in the desired sition of adjustment. rl`he teeth ot rack engage the teeth of gear D and the checking mechanism therefore controls the movement of members E and E', member E moving in bearing e2 and member E' moving in bearing e9'. When the door or the like is opened by hand the gear D acts to force member E outwardly through opening e2 and when the hand is removed the gear D moves in the opposite direction and returns the member E to the position shown in Figure 3. lit however a strong Wind or other undesired force should close the door more rapidly than is desired tbc member E will engage member A or other portion of the support and lvvill prevent complete closing until member l5 has been fully vvithdravvn` it being understood that the rearward movement ot member E is so timed that member l 'will cease to project at the instant of coun plete closing of the door. lf the door should become Warped or for any reason there is invasa? undue space between the door and support when the door is closed the member E may be adjusted with relation to member E s.) that the member E will be just free of engagement with the support when the closing is complete.

ln Figure 10 il show a modification in which the rod E2 has a reduced portion e4 frictionally engaging one end' of coiled spring e?, the other end :trictionally engagingreduced portion e". of rodi?, the purpose of this form being to absorb shock due to undesired closing.

Guides 1F F are provided to prevent the strap A2 from comlng in contact with the wood of the door or the like or with the `Wood of the support in case the checking mechanism is mounted in the support, and these guides are extended in theform shown at G and G to keep the flexible member A2 from riding above or below the flanges of the drum.

F or purposes of clearness I' have disclosed in this application a number or' features disclosed in my application Serial No. 551,902 but the features claimable in said application are not claimed herein.

What l claim is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a flexible element which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means ad-v ditional to said checking means to stop undesired closing of the door.

2. A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a flexible element'which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means including a longitudinally movable rod to stop undesired closing of the door.

3. A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a Hexible element which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means additional to said checking means and including a longitudinally movable rod to stop undesired closing of the door.

4c. A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a flexible element which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and rigid means to .sto undesired closing of the door.

5. device of the character described comprising a door or the like: a support therefor; means to close the door including a flexible element which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closin means; and means controlled by said chec ing means tol stop undesired closing of the door.

. 6. vA device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor means to closeI the door which includes a flexible element which extends from the d'oor -to thesupport; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means including a longitudinally movable rod controlled by said checking means to stop undesired closing of the door.

7. A device of the character described comprising a door member; a supporting member therefor; an anchorage embedded in one of said members; operating mechanism embedded in the other of said members; means including a flexible member connecting the anchorage and said operating mechanism to close the door; means to check the closing action; and a rod mounted on the member carrying the operating mechanism and movable longitudinally to project beyond that member to engage the other member to prevent undesired closing of the door, said rod being controlled by the checking means.

8. A device of the character described comprising a door member; a supporting member therefor; an anchorage embedded in one of said members; operatingI mechanism embedded in the other of said members; means including a flexible member connecting the anchorage andsaid operating mechanism to close the door; means to check the closing action; and an adjustable rod 'mounted on the member carrying the operating mechanism and movable longitudinally to project beyond that member to prevent undesired closing of the door, said rod being controlled by the checking means.

9. A` device of the character described comprising a door; a support therefor; operating mechanism including a spring and a rotary element; a flexible member operatively connecting the door and support and extending from one of them to the other and extending operatively into one of them to engage said rotary element; and means Within that member into which the flexible member operatively extends to guide said flexible member with relation to said rotary element.

10. A device of the character described comprising a door; a support therefor; operating mechanism including a spring and a rotary element; a flexible member operatively connecting the door and support and extending from one of them to the-other and having Winding connection with said rotary element; and means to guide the flexible member with relation to said rotary element.

1l. A device of the character described comprising a door member; a supporting member therefor; an anchorage embedded itil in one of said members; operating mecha nism embedded in the other of said members; means including a Hexible member connecting the anchorage and said 'operating mechanism to close the door; means to check the closing action of said closing means: and a rod mounted on the member Carrying the operating mechanism and movable longitudinally to project beyond that member to engage the other member to prevent undesired closing of the door.

12. A device of the character describedv comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a flexible element which extends fromthe door to the support and including a rotary ele.- ment operatively connected with said ilexiblc element; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means including a longitudinally movable rod to engage said rotary member to stop undesired closing of the door.

13. 4A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a spring and including a flexible element Which-extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closingmeans; and means to stop undesired closing of the door.

14. A device of the character described comprising adoor or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a spring and including a flexible element which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means additional to said checking means to stop undesired closing of the door.

15. A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door including a spring and including a flexible element which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means controlled by said checking means to stop undesired closing of the door.

16. A device of the character described comprising a door member; a supporting member therefor; a stationary casing embedded in one of said members; a piston lltting within, and cooperating with the casing; a spring Within the casing and tending normally to actuate said piston to close the door; said piston forming an abutment for said spring; means Within said casing and acting on said piston to check the clos` ing action of said piston; a flexible element operatively connected to the other of said members; means operatively connecting said flexible element and said piston to close the door; and means to stop undesired closing of the door.

17. A device of the character described llG comprising a door member; a supporting member therefor; a stationary caslng embedded in one of said members; a piston fitting Within, and cooperating with the casing; a spring Within the casing and tending normally to actuate said piston to close the door, said piston formin an abutment for said spring; means Within said casing and acting on said piston to check the closing action of said piston; a flexible element operatively connected to the other of said members; means operatively connecting said flexible element and said piston to close the door; and means controlled by said checkin means to stop undesired closing ofthe oor.

18. A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; means to close the door; means to check the closing action of the closing means;and means to prevent undesired complete closing of the door, said means bcing movable to permit complete closing. when desired.

19. A device of the character described comprising a door or the like; a support therefor; lmeans to-close the door including a flexible element which extends from the door to the support; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and means to prevent undesired complete closing of the door, said means beingoperated by the closing means to permit complete closing when desired.

20. A device of the character described comprising a door member or the like; a supporting member therefor; means to close the door including a flexible element which extends from the door member to the support member; means to check the closing action of the closing means; and a rod projecting from one of said members to engage the other member to prevent undesired complete closing of the door; said rod being operated by the closing means to permit complete closing when desired.

BENJAMN S. BERNHARD. 

